Toy.



Patented 001. 17,1916.

F. A. PICKETT.

TOY.

APPLICATION r1151) JAN.8, 1915.

ma .Pici'eii. 4

'onrrn STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

FREDERICK A. PICKETT, 0E BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNQR OF ONE-HALF T0 J.HERBERT MILLER, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

Application filed January 8, 1915. Serial No. 1,217. 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. Pronn'r'r, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have'invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Toys; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to toys and more particularly to an aerial toy ofthat type which includes a propeller wheel detachably connected with oneend of a rotatable shaft mounted in a starting or launching device.

This invention has for its object to'provide an improved and simplifiedstarting or launching device for a toy of this character embodying ascrew or shaft element composed of two pieces of wire twisted to providescrew-threads and having the ends of the wires extended in alinementwith the screw elements and rotatably mounted in a suitable frame.

Another object is the provision of a novel type of propeller wheel andmeans for detachably securing the wheel to the upper end of the screwelement or shaft.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement and formation of parts as will behereinafter specifically described, claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the toy, partly in section. Fig.2 represents a top plan View of the propeller wheel removed. Fig. 3represents a top plan view of the slightly modified form of propellerwheel. Fig. 4 represents an enlarged detail sectional view on the line4-4 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 represents a transverse sectional view throughone of the blades or wings of the propeller wheel illustrated in Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference numeralsdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral5 indicates the body of the frame of the launching or starting devicewhich may be formed of wood, metal or any other suitable material and isprovided at one end with an extension 6 providing a handle. A pair ofangular bearing members 7 are secured in spaced relation to the body 5and are formed with alined opening 15 having internal screwthreadsfitting the screw 10,'whereby when the sleeve 13 is held againstrotation and moved longitudinally of the screw 10 the latter is rotated.

The propeller wheel is preferably stamped from a piece of sheet materialand includes a central or hub portion 16. in which: is secured anaxially elongated sleeve or bushing 17 for receiving the upper extremity8 of one of the wires comprising the screw 10. A plurality of wings orblades 18 are formed integral with the central or hub portion 16 of thewheel and are suitably feathered with relation to the axis of the wheelto cause the latter to mount into: the air when rotated at an adequatespeed. The longitudinal edges 19 of the blades 18 are bent back so as tobrace and reinforce the blades. A tongue 20 is struck out from the hubportion 16 and is adaptedto receive a pin 21 secured in the end 8 of thescrew 10 to cause the propeller wheel to rotate in one direction withsaid screw, as will be understood, and also to permit the pin to freelydisengage from under the tongue 20 when the screw 10 is abruptly stoppedand the propeller wheel continues to rotate by the momentum imparted bythe initial rotational movement of the screw.

Referring to Fig. 8 wherein is shown a slightly modified form of thepropeller wheel, the numeral 30 indicates a strip of material stampedfrom a piece of sheet metal and having the longitudinal edges 31 turnedback to reinforce and brace the wheel In this type of propeller wheelonly two wings or blades are provided and the hub or central portionthereof is apertured to receive the relatively stationary sleeve orbushing 32 to receive the end 8 of the screw 10. The central or hubportion of the wheel 30 is further provided with a slit elongated on aline extending obliquely to a radial plane of the wheel and having theouter'edge of the In operation, the launching device is held in one handof the operator by the handle 6 and the propeller wheel is positionedupon the end 8 of the screw and the pin 21 is en gaged with either thetongue 20 or the slot in the type of propeller wheel illustrated in Fig.3. The sleeve or hand grip 13 is subse quently graspedby the otherhandof the operator and moved swiftly toward the 7 lower end of-the screw10, thus rotating the latter together with the propeller wheel. When thehand grip or sleeve 13 engages the lower bearing member 7 the rotationalmovement of the screw 10 is abruptly stopped,but the propeller wheelcontinues to rotate, thus disengaging the pin 21 therefrom and permitting the propeller'wheel to mount into the air.

The blades of both types of propeller wheels illustrated in Figs. 2 and8 are cupped 1 or curved transversely so as to present an upper convexsurface and a lower concave surface. When the propellerwheel islaunched, the action of the several blades causes it to travel in an.upwardly inclined direction away from the operator. As soon as the speedof rotation is reduced to such an extent as to-no longer cause the wheelto a travel, said wheel descends. During its descent the resistanceofiered by the air causes the wheel to rotate, and the peculiar efiectof the cupped or curved blades changes the course of the wheel andcauses it to float or travel back to the starting point or operator.

ing members secured to said frame, a pair of wlres twisted togetherforming a screw,

means securing the end portions of said wires together, the ends of oneof said wires extending beyond the ends of the other wire and beingrotatably mounted in said bearing members, a propeller wheel removablyengaged with one of the extended ends of the relatively long wire, andmeans to rotate said screw.

2. An aerial toy comprising a frame, a

handle carried by said frame, a pair of bearing members secured tosaidframe, a pair of wires twisted together forming a screw, the ends of oneof said wires extending beyond the ends of the other wire and beingrotatably mounted in said bearing members, a propeller wheel removablyengaged on one end of the relatively long wire, an internally .screwthreaded bushing fitted upon the twisted portions of the wires, and asleeve or hand grip secured to and inclosing said bushing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK A. PIGKETT.

. Witnesses:

ARTHUR B. PIGKETT, MAMIEW. LEE.

copies 01 this" patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents.

I v Washington, D. G.

